Distributed Network Protocol (DNP) (also know as DNP3 when used over TCP/IP networks) defines a communications protocol for components of process automation systems. It is commonly used by electric utilities to communicate with intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) and other equipment in a distribution automation system. For example, a common operations center or “master station” of a utility may use DNP to communicate with a circuit breaker at a remote substation to control the opening and closing of the circuit breaker. DNP may also be used to communicate the status of various equipment back to the master station. Essentially, DNP3 provides the rules for remotely located devices and a master station to communicate data and control commands. Detailed information concerning the DNP protocol can be obtained at www.dnp.org.
Many utilities have begun to deploy advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems to more intelligently measure, collect and analyze energy usage. Such systems often employ their own communications protocols to enable a utility's operations center to communicate with metering devices deployed at subscriber locations. As more and more advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems are deployed, it is becoming increasingly desirable to develop products that allow utilities to leverage their investments in such systems to “connect” beyond the AMI system's network into the distribution automation (DA) infrastructure. Currently, the only options available for connection into the DA system are via the traditional DA communication networks and protocols, such as DNP.